Danica Patrick adjusts her hair before putting on her helmet for the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Gatorade Duel #1 qualifying race for the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, February 23, 2012. The running of the 54th Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 26. (REUTERS/Brian Blanco)

DAYTONA, FLA. - Danica Patrick became the first female in the history of NASCAR's top series to win a pole position for a race by posting the quickest lap during Sunday's qualifying for the Daytona 500.

One day after recording the fastest lap overall in practice, Patrick made her qualifying lap around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway at 196.434 mph (45.816 seconds) to grab the top starting position for the Feb. 24 season-opener in the Sprint Cup Series.

Patrick's first pole in Sprint Cup came in her 11th start. She competed in 10 races in the series last year. Patrick was the eighth driver to qualify in the 45-car field.

Jeff Gordon will share the front row with Patrick in the Daytona 500. Gordon, a three-time winner of NASCAR's most prestigious race of the season, turned a lap at 196.292 mph (45.850 secs.). It will be the fourth time he will start on the front row for the Daytona 500.

Patrick and Gordon are the only drivers who have locked up their starting positions. The remainder of the 43-car field for the Daytona 500 will be determined in Thursday's twin-qualifying races at Daytona.